Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses, and methods for operating communications devices, and specifically, to a method and associated system and apparatus for enabling and/or conducting a pairing operation between a device capable of implementing a Bluetooth or other standardized communication protocol and one or more peer devices that are connected by a network.
In order for a device capable of communicating using the Bluetooth communications protocol to communicate with a second Bluetooth capable device, an operation or process that is termed “pairing” must be performed. Pairing typically involves the detection of one device by the other, followed by the exchange of data (e.g., a password or other authentication data), verification of the exchanged data, and if verified, the establishment of a communications channel or connection between the devices. Typically, a Bluetooth device must be paired at least once with each peer device with which it interoperates before any user communications can occur between the two devices. For example, a Bluetooth headset must normally be paired at least once with each Bluetooth cell phone or desk-phone with which it is to be used. However, this standard pairing process has a number of drawbacks: it typically requires user intervention (and thus limits the range of tasks that can be performed without user participation); the pairing mode of operation is typically less secure than other operating modes and so may present a security risk; the pairing operation may prevent the device from being used for its primary purpose (such as communications or data transmission) for a period of time; and, it may be difficult for the user to understand how to perform the pairing necessary to get their devices to work together properly.
In addition, a particular problem may occur when a user wishes to use one Bluetooth device with a family (i.e., a set, group, or network of suitable devices) of peer devices (where, typically, peer devices may be somewhat interchangeable among themselves as far as delivery of the overall service). For example, a user with a Bluetooth headset may wish to use their headset with multiple enterprise telephones that are connected to the same enterprise network (where the user may not be overly concerned with which particular telephone they are connected, or which specific services each telephone provides). In a traditional pairing model, the user would need to conduct a pairing operation with each enterprise phone that they might wish to use in the future (where this potentially might be hundreds of phones). Such a set of multiple pairing operations are not only time-consuming for the user, but typically may exhaust the data storage capacity of a typical headset (which, as part of the pairing operations, typically stores the information necessary to retain a record of each successful pairing operation). Another example where a similar problem may exist is when a user wishes to use their Bluetooth device with a number of devices within their home: for example, one or more personal computers, a Bluetooth-enabled music system, or a Bluetooth-enabled home telephone. Yet another similar case is when a user may access a web-based service via multiple access-devices. For example, many users use web-based voice-over-IP telephony services (such as Skype) from multiple devices (such as their home computer, a work computer, or a mobile telephone). At present, if they wish to use a Bluetooth headset with all of the devices they use with Skype, they must conduct a separate pairing operation with each such device.
As a result of the aforementioned problems, what is desired is a process, method, apparatus, and/or system which enables a user to reduce the number of pairing operations required when using a Bluetooth device with a family, group, set, or network of Bluetooth peer devices. This would permit a Bluetooth device to be paired with multiple network connected devices without the need to perform multiple pairing operations. Embodiments of the invention address these problems and other problems individually and collectively, and overcome the noted disadvantages of requiring multiple pairing operations.